A study of alcoholysis reactions of silicon disulphide. I. Formation of Trialkoxysilanethiols from the lower primary and secondary aliphatic alcohols

Investigations on the alcoholysis reaction of SiS2 by a 20 per cent excess of lower aliphatic alcohols indicate that alkoxysilanethiols of the general formula (RO)nSi(SH)4‐n (n = 1,2,3) are the primary products of the process. The action of iso‐propyl and see‐butyl alcohols on SiS2 resulted in the formation of the corresponding trialkoxysilanethiols which could be readily isolated by fractionation under normal pressure. Primary alcohols yielded mixtures of tetraalkoxysilane and trialkoxy‐silanethiols under similar conditions. It is believed that alkoxy‐dithiol and ‐trithiol structures may be formed in the course of the reaction. A mechanism for the formation of these structures is briefly outlined.